What In The World Are You Doing? (2)

“W-wait a moment!”

Yoon Jong was horrified and pulled Jwa Go-Hak back.

“Let’s talk after you let go of him. Just let go for now!”

“Let go! I must hear an answer!”

“Enough! Calm down first! You’re the one who said that, no matter how different your positions are, he’s not someone we can treat carelessly!”

“…”

Yoon Jong forcibly pried Jwa Go-Hak’s hands away and pulled him back. Even as Yoon Jong dragged him away, Jwa Go-Hak ground his teeth.

“Answer me, Do-Hyeon. What the hell are you up to?”

But Do-Hyeon merely stared silently at Jwa Go-Hak without answering.

Baek Cheon watched the two face off for a moment, then tilted his head in confusion.

“Why are you suddenly getting so worked up? We came here expecting weapons to be stockpiled here already.”

Jwa Go-Hak did not answer. Jo Gul, who had been watching, answered in his place.

“There are too many, sasuk.”

“Huh?”

Jo Gul continued with an unusually grave expression.

“Of course, if someone of the Affairs Head’s standing put his mind to it, gathering an enormous amount of weaponry wouldn’t be impossible, but…”

Jo Gul’s gaze turned toward the warehouse, which seemed strangely bleak.

“Even taking that into consideration, this is far too much.”

“That much?”

Baek Cheon frowned in bewilderment.

There were certainly an excessive number of weapons here. But wasn’t that merely a martial artist’s perspective? Considering that this concerned the affairs of the state, this much…

“We don’t know how many more warehouses of a similar size there are.”

“Even so…”

“And, sasuk.”

Jo Gul turned to Baek Cheon and spoke with a hardened expression.

“We can’t guarantee that all the weapons transported here so far are stacked in this place.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I mean that this warehouse may already have been emptied and refilled several times.”

Baek Cheon’s eyes widened for an instant. After a brief silence, he spoke again in a lowered voice.

“Then you’re saying… that Affairs Head over there may have secured several times more weapons than this?”

“Judging from the circumstances.”

“…”

As even Baek Cheon’s expression grew serious, Yoon Jong raised his voice toward Jo Gul.

“So what exactly are you trying to say? Stop beating around the bush and say it plainly.”

“I mean…”

Jo Gul swallowed hard.

“There are too many. It’s far too much for someone merely planning to cause trouble within the Imperial City. It’s almost as if…”

That was when Jo Gul could not bring himself to say the words lingering on his lips.

“As if he’s planning to start a war.”

Everyone’s eyes turned toward one place.

Chung Myung, standing in the back, shrugged under their gazes.

“Right?”

“…”

Everyone’s gazes shifted to Do-Hyeon, who stood in front of Chung Myung.

“A war?”

Baek Cheon spoke incredulously.

“You’re saying he’s going to start a war?”

“Probably?”

“Does that even make sense?”

“Why wouldn’t it?”

“Because it doesn’t make sense.”

Baek Cheon grimaced.

“A war requires an opponent. You can’t wage a war by yourself. Who exactly is he supposed to fight?”

“How would I know?”

“Huh?”

Chung Myung shrugged and spoke as though it were obvious.

“Your point isn’t exactly wrong, sasuk. That would be the common-sense conclusion.”

“…But.”

“There’s just one thing I know.”

Chung Myung’s gaze turned toward the warehouse before them.

“When common sense and undeniable evidence contradicting it exist at the same time… you should believe the evidence.”

“…”

Baek Cheon fell silent at those words.

He still couldn’t understand. Why was Do-Hyeon starting a war, and whom was he going to wage it against? But Chung Myung wasn’t wrong either. If he wasn’t planning to wage war, then what else could all these weapons possibly have been gathered here for?

“Well…”

At that moment, Tang Soso cautiously raised her hand.

“How about we look at this a little more positively?”

“Positively?”

Tang Soso quickly nodded and smiled brightly.

“Perhaps, as it turns out, the gentleman over there is a great loyal subject who used his own money to stockpile the nation’s supplies in preparation for some future calamity…”

“Rejected.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t waste time.”

“…What a bunch of heartless people.”

Even as the disciples of Mount Hua bickered, Jwa Go-Hak never took his eyes off Do-Hyeon.

“Explain yourself, Affairs head.”

“…”

“What are you plotting?”

Do-Hyeon’s expression remained unchanged.

“Affairs head!”

Only then did Do-Hyeon slowly open his mouth.

“What if I don’t explain?”

“…”

“What will you do?”

Jwa Go-Hak lost his composure for an instant, revealing a fierce expression.

“Then there’s only one option left. We’ll have to kill you here.”

“Kill me?”

Do-Hyeon gave a derisive laugh and looked at Jwa Go-Hak.

“Do you understand how grave a matter that would be?”

“Of course.”

At the answer, given without the slightest hesitation, a glint of interest appeared in Do-Hyeon’s eyes.

“You understand?”

Jwa Go-Hak nodded heavily, never taking his eyes off Do-Hyeon even then.

“I am not a member of the imperial family, but the Emperor will decide my punishment. Even if the three branches of your family lose their lives?”

“Righteousness above kinship.”

Jwa Go-Hak spoke in a flat voice.

“For the sake of the greater cause, one must sever even the bonds of family. You would understand that.”

“…”

“If you are truly plotting a calamity, then we have no choice but to stop you by whatever means necessary.”

Do-Hyeon quietly studied Do-Hyeon, then smiled strangely.

“Are you of the Confucian scholars?”

“What…?”

“Confucian learning is like a scent; it cannot be concealed forever.”

“…”

“But there’s no need to worry. I had already guessed that you were connected to the Confucian scholars in one way or another. It doesn’t particularly change anything.”

Do-Hyeon calmly sat down where he stood.

“What are you doing?”

“Kill me.”

Jwa Go-Hak’s body flinched despite himself.

“If that is the only path left, then so be it.”

“This lunatic…”

The instant Jwa Go-Hak’s hand twitched, Baek Cheon grabbed him by the nape and threw him backward without a word.

Crash!

Baek Cheon shook his head as he watched Jwa Go-Hak roll across the floor and come to a stop.

“He really intended to kill him. That lunatic.”

“…Given the circumstances.”

Yoon Jong glanced at Jwa Go-Hak as if he understood his feelings, then shook his head as well.

Yes, they understood how he felt. But this was not something that could be resolved that way. If Do-Hyeon had already made a plan, and that plan could be carried out without him, then they would merely be destroying the only clue with their own hands.

“…I didn’t think things would become this serious.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“And now, of all things, a war.”

It felt as though the matter kept growing the further they went.

They had gone through their share of trials and tribulations, but the weight carried by the word “war” was enough to make a mountain seem like a hill and a river seem like a stream.

It was when the disciples of Mount Hua had no idea what they were supposed to do about this situation.

“So.”

Chung Myung, who had been observing the situation, spoke up.

“What exactly is the problem?”

At that, Baek Cheon spoke in a serious tone.

“As you said, preparing this many weapons means he either truly intends to wage war or is planning something at least as serious as that… We’re saying this because we don’t know his intentions.”

“Why don’t you know?”

“There’s no one to fight.”

“If you want to fight, who can’t you fight?”

“No!”

Baek Cheon thumped his chest in frustration, and Jwa Go-Hak, who had been thrown aside, spoke in his place.

“That is impossible. This is not an amount of weaponry that a few thousand soldiers could use. If what we said earlier is true, then Do-Hyeon is raising not a few thousand private soldiers, but tens of thousands… This would be impossible even if the entire Eastern Depot acted, let alone the Affairs Head alone.”

Chung Myung looked at Jwa Go-Hak indifferently.

“So what?”

“…Do you not understand?”

“Good grief, how frustrating. This is why scholars are so…”

“What did you say?”

Jwa Go-Hak was just about to lose his temper.

“Why are you making it so complicated? Then they aren’t private soldiers.”

“…Hmm?”

Jwa Go-Hak’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“They aren’t private soldiers?”

“Yeah. You said it yourself. This isn’t an amount private soldiers could use. Then it wasn’t brought here for private soldiers to use.”

“If not private soldiers, then what? Are you suggesting the imperial army is going to use these weapons?”

“Isn’t that the only answer?”

“Haha.”

Jwa Go-Hak let out a hollow laugh.

“This seems to be something you’re saying because you don’t understand the court… No, because you lack an understanding of the government.”

“Huh?”

“The Affairs Head cannot move the imperial army. He has no authority over the military.”

“Oh?”

“It is impossible from the outset. What benefit would the imperial army gain by moving for the Ceremonial Affairs head?”

Chung Myung stared at Jwa Go-Hak, then snorted.

“The way this guy’s mind works is just like Dong-Ryong’s.”

“…Don’t call me Dong-Ryong, you bastard. What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Chung Myung answered with a bright smile.

“What do you think it means? It means you’re stupid.”

“You little bastard, seriously.”

Ignoring Baek Cheon, who was about to flare up, Chung Myung spoke again.

“That’s what I said earlier.”

He raised his index finger and wagged it from side to side.

“I told you to believe the evidence rather than common sense.”

“But this is a different case.”

“No. It’s exactly the same.”

“…Exactly the same?”

“Yeah.”

Chung Myung shrugged.

“What’s different? Just think back to a few days ago. When we found the weapons at the Assistant Minister of Revenue’s house, what did you say at first?”

“What does that have to do with this?”

“Didn’t you say that although we didn’t know why Affairs Head Do-Hyeon was plotting treason, that didn’t matter if there was such clear evidence?”

Jwa Go-Hak closed his mouth. He understood what Chung Myung was getting at.

“So what you’re saying is that while it’s true there are too many weapons for private soldiers to use, the Affairs head still cannot move the imperial army through his authority or ability. Nor would the imperial army gain anything by helping the Affairs head. If he were plotting something, it would be treason, but since a eunuch cannot become emperor, the Affairs Head has no reason to commit treason either.”

Jwa Go-Hak nodded blankly.

“Then what is the conclusion? That it isn’t treason? No, you idiot.”

Chung Myung curled up the corners of his mouth.

“There’s only one correct conclusion. There’s someone else. Someone who can benefit from this entire series of events. Someone other than the Affairs Head.”

Jwa Go-Hak’s shoulders trembled.

He had been deceived. The name “Affairs Head” was so imposing that he had assumed the man was the beginning and end of everything. Unconsciously, he had naturally believed that the one who would benefit from all this was the Affairs head.

But what if there was someone else?

“That Affairs Head isn’t the mastermind behind all this… but merely a subordinate?”

“Exactly.”

“Then…”

“There is someone.”

Chung Myung grinned and indicated Do-Hyeon with his chin.

“Someone who can use that Affairs Head as his hands and feet, move the imperial army, and ascend the dragon throne himself.”

Chung Myung turned his head and looked at the warehouse before them.

“Someone who can use everything stockpiled here to seize what he wants…”

Chung Myung’s eyes shone coldly.

“A monster like that.”

“It’s ready.”

The old man, who had been quietly gazing at the flapping entrance of the tent, slowly rose to his feet.

An old and decrepit body. And yet, that body still exuded incomparable dignity and power.

The old man slowly walked out of the barracks. As he bowed his head slightly and passed through the flapping entrance, a magnificent sight unfolded before his eyes.

An army arrayed as far as the eye could see. Blood-red flags fluttered throughout its ranks.

It was a sight that would stir anyone’s heart, yet the wrinkled old man’s eyes remained utterly unchanged as he coolly observed the scene.

After looking down over them for quite some time, the old man finally spoke in a solemn voice.

“March.”

“Yes, sir!”

The army beneath the red flags began to march.

Toward the place they had protected until now.